Ol
Doinyo Lengai volcano,
Tanzania

Ol Doinyo Lengai means "Mountain of God" in Massai
language. It is a steep around 2900 m high stratovolcano located in a
section of the East-African rift valley in northern Tanzania, near the
Ngorongongo and Serengeti National parks. The volcano is known for its
unique type of natrocarbonatite lava and as such it is the only known
active natrocarbonatite volcano on earth.

In August 2003, Tom Pfeiffer together with Marco Fulle, Stephane Granier and Martin
Rietze undertook an expedition to this volcano organized
by Fred Belton, is a passionate and experienced climber of Lengai
since many years and guides an excellent expedition.

During our stay, the activity was generally at a low
level, but remarkable by its explosive character, which is regarded
unusual for Lengai. All activity was confined to two cinder cones
(misleadingly called hornitos, named T56B and T58B), which showed
variable activity of lava fountains and strombolian activity,
interrupted by repeated and spectacular collapses of the cones
themselves.